Into The Dark
by Snows Of Yester-Year
Summary: After Azula strikes him down, Zuko's time is rapidly running out, and the only thing he can think of is how much he doesn't want to leave yet. Set during the finale. Alternate ending if that's how you want to see it.


A/N: No, I did not forget part of the fanfic; it cuts off mid-sentence on purpose.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender or any related titles characters etc etc etc

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The day that his father so cruelly burned and banished him, Zuko had wholeheartedly believed that he would never experience anything quite so painful in his entire life. Of course, at the time, he had no way of knowing that his sister would one day shoot him full of lightning.

The pain was unbelievable, searing and overwhelming, his body straining to follow the arcs of the bright electrical currents that Azula had let loose. When the lightning stopped, he fell to the ground with a sickening thud, his body convulsing with the forceful aftershocks of the blow. His mind swam, and for a few astounding seconds he was barely aware of the world around him. All he could feel was the pain. The courtyard swam before his eyes, and after a few moments he became vaguely aware of another battle ensuing; this time, though, Katara was the one fighting Azula.

He groaned painfully rolling over to try to get a better glimpse of what was going on. It appeared that Azula was blocking Katara from getting near him. The pain continued to radiate from his searing wound, fogging his mind and weighing down his limbs. He was utterly useless, much to his frustration; he couldn't lift a hand to help his friend. His helplessness was maddening.

He squeezed his eyes shut briefly before focusing his hazy gaze on the smoky, reddened sky. He wished Katara would just give it up and go hide somewhere...surely when Aang and the others got here, they could finish Azula off easily, and without the comet working against them. Katara could be hurt if she continued the fight.

The extremity of the pain he was in and the blackness that ate at the edges of his bleary vision made him wonder if Azula's blow was fatal...it probably served him right, a voice in the back of his mind muttered. He completely betrayed them, and according to his friends, Aang actually _died _when Azula struck him down in Ba Sing Se; only Katara's Waterbending made it so that he was here today. It was only fitting that Zuko should die, too...

Not that he really wanted to die. He wanted to see Mai again, for one thing, and beg for her forgiveness if she didn't stick a knife in his head first. He loved her. He hadn't quite realized it before, what with him running for his life in the prison, but that was the feeling that had lodged uncomfortably in his throat when he saw her glaring at him through the bars on the door; love. He loved her. _He loved her. _And he needed the chance to tell her.

He also needed to see Uncle, make sure that he was alright after his re-conquering of Ba Sing Se. He felt like his apology in the Order's campsite had been pathetically inadequate, even though Uncle Iroh had already accepted it. Zuko wanted, desperately _needed, _to make up for the sins he had committed. He needed to repay his uncle.

And of course, he wanted desperately to see all of his friends again...to make sure that _they _were all okay from their battles. He hadn't quite realized until he found them what real, true friendship was. His time spent in the Fire Nation following the banishment was alright enough; he spent plenty of time with his sister and her two friends, but Mai was the only one he really, truly, deeply cared about. Likewise, before his banishment, they had only been children...he couldn't begin to comprehend the closeness of true friendship. But his friends...even in the short time he had spent with them and despite their turbulent start, it was obvious that they all cared for each other like a family. It was a wonderful feeling to belong, and he needed to make sure they were all alright.

...Especially Aang. They hadn't parted on the best of terms...

The shadows were advancing further, clouding his eyes as he watched Katara apprehend his sister. From his distance, he couldn't quite tell what she was doing...something involving the grates and...

And...

He blinked sluggishly, not entirely sure what was going on. He felt strange. The pain had ebbed weirdly, and a strange, floating sensation was starting to seep in and take its place. In no time, he felt rather curiously like he was drifting up, even though he could still feel rather clearly the gravely ground scratching against his exposed skin...

He couldn't be sure, but it looked like Katara was coming over, her blue clothes standing out starkly against the bloody backdrop of the Fire Nation even with his blurred vision. The gloom was draped over the courtyard, like night was falling, the blackness eating persistently away at his vision, and Katara had just reached his


End file.
